PICKETT CEMETERY

CHARLOTTE, NY (Sinclairville-Cassadaga Road)

The Pickett Cemetery at the left angle turn on the old Sinclairville-Cassadaga
Road in the Town of Charlotte is the burial place of some of our earliest
pioneers. Though it is enclosed by an iron fence and is kept free
of brush and high grass, many of the stones are broken and are lying prone.
Many too, have disappeared. It would be nice if some organization
would "adopt" this cemetery and repair the stones as has been done in the
old Pleasantville Cemetery near Dewittville by the William P. Jackway Veterans
of Foreign Wars and its Auxiliary.
Amos Atkins, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, came to Ellery in
1808 and settled near William Bemus. In 1810 he moved to the town
of Gerry, was town supervisor in 1814. As part of a surveyor team
he selected a lot in the town of Gerry for himself and one for his brother-in-law,
Stephen Jones. Stephen Jones’ wife Clarissa died in 1844 and is buried
in the old Gerry Cemetery, possibly because there was a church there.
But Atkins’ wife Clarinda died in 1815 and this was the first death in
the town of Gerry which then comprised the present towns of Gerry, Charlotte,
Cherry Creek and Ellington. We believe that Clarinda, named in a
cemetery list of 1930, is the wife of Amos. Her stone was missing,
as was his, when last we were there. The person who copied the stones
in 1930 made 18 known mistakes. Young’s "History of Chautauqua County"
says Amos and Stephen went to the far "west," but when the DAR copied the
stones in 1925 for their book, "Soldiers of the Revolution buried in Chautauqua
County," they included Amos Atkins, saying his stone had the words "A Revolutionary
Soldier" written on it, but that they could find no verification of his
service in Washington.
Caleb Clark, also a Revolutionary Soldier, served over two years in
Captain James Norris’ Company, Second New Hampshire Regiment under Colonels
Poor and Haley. He took part in the battles of Hubbardton, the second
battle of Stillwater and was at Monmouth. He was also in General
Sullivan’s expedition. He moved at an early date from Colchester,
Conn. To Exeter, NH where he married Lodoma Gage, 28 Feb. 1784. They
moved from there with their family to Exeter, NY, and from there to Chautauqua
County, settling in Charlotte. He and Lodoma had 12 children:
Clarissa, born 10 Sept. 1787; Adin, born 13 July 1786 (married Mehittie
Palmer); Charlotte 1789-1795; Jacob Tilton born 16 June 1791; Chelal born
18 Feb. 1793; John born 31 Aug. 1794, died June 1826; Charlotte born 12
July 1796, died 1833; Polly born 21 July 1798; Harry born 24 June 1800;
Orton born 20 June 1802, died 1868; Curtis born 11 March 1804; and Cyrus
born 28 June 1805, died 1827.
John Cleland, a Revolutionary War Soldier, served two years under Captain
Thomas, enlisting February 1778. During his service he is said to
have been an orderly to General Washington and to have seen considerable
active service. He lived in Plainfield, MA but was married in East
Windsor, CT 27 April 1780 to Thankful Eaton. In 1807 with eight children
they moved to Otsego Co., NY. In the spring f 1811 his sons Nathan
and Oliver made the long trip of 300 miles to Chautauqua County where their
brother John had preceded them in March 1810. Being pleased with
the land, they reported favorably to their father, and in the fall, John
and Thankful brought their other children to join the three sons in what
is now the town of Charlotte. The homestead farm was on lot 54 just
east of present Charlotte Center. According to family records, John
Cleland and his wife were buried in the Pickett Cemetery, a plot of ground
given the neighborhood for burial purposes by John Pickett off the original
Pickett farm. John and Thankful had 11 children, two dying in infancy.
The others were: Beriah born 15 Nov. 1781; Edna born 28 June 1782;
Samuel born 14 May 1788; Thankful born 22 April 1790; John and James, twins,
born 19 Feb. 1792; Oliver born 25 Oct. 1793; Nathan born 5 March 1795;
Martin born 10 April 1797. In 1810 John was but 18 while Oliver and
Nathan were 17 and 15. Very young to make a 300 mile trip through
almost trackless woods and to decide that the land was favorable.
The Cleland brothers were said to be men of great strength and endurance
and all lived to be over four score.
The Pickett family were from Columbia County, NY and via Chenango County
came to Chautauqua. They settled on lots 62 and 63 in Charlotte in
1809. John built the first log house in the town of Charlotte or
perhaps anywhere in this locale. John came here unmarried with his
brother Daniel and his family and Daniel’s brother-in-law, Arva Taylor.
The latter settled on lot 63 with Daniel. These folk were the only
people who passed the winter of 1809-1810 in Charlotte and were truly the
earliest settlers in Charlotte.
Since the Cleland records state so clearly that John Pickett established
a cemetery on his land we feel sure that he and his wife, and probably
the Arva Taylors, are buried here though no stones now exist except that
for Samuel’s wife Lite. The Stockton Pickett family do not seem to
be of this family, though they may be related. We have no records
nor can find any of this Pickett family. Are David, Ira and Selah,
in the 1825 census, sons of Daniel or of John? What happened to them?
We have searched neighboring cemeteries without results. Are these
people here?

WILCOX, Elisha 1827-1894.
WILCOX, Caroline his wife, 1829-uncut.
WILCOX, George O. 1855-1926.
WILCOX, Myra Hartley, 1845-1911.
WILCOX, Edna, daughter of George and Lizzie died 26 Feb. 1882 age 4-5-7.
WILCOX, Essie, daughter of George and Almira died 1 May 1885, age 1-0-23.

QUERIES

A101 SMITH, James 1776-1871 and wife Hepsabeth HARDY 1780-1852
lived in Villenova. The 1855 census of Villenova shows James living
with his son Nathan C. Smith and Nathan’s wife Thankful. Nathan’s
stone is in the Hamlet Cemetery, but none for wife Thankful. Are
James and Hepsabeth buried there without stones? Is Thankful there
and what was her maiden name? Are there descendants of this family
in or near Villenova? HD

A102 Cynthia BLODGETT WILEY is said to be buried in Burhams.
Is this Burnham Hollow? Couldn’t find a stone for her there.
Can anyone tell us where Cynthia and husband Abraham WILEY are buried?
HVD [ANSWER]

A103 BLODGETT. Where are Bernard, Rufus and William Blodgett
buried? Are they related to above Cynthia Blodgett Wiley? HVD

A104 TURNER. Wanted: Parents and dates for John P.
Turner born Ellery 1811; married Catherine born 1831. What was Catherine’s
maiden name and who were her parents? CHS Colorado

A105 TURNER. John and Catherine Turner had a daughter Emily
born Ellery Center 1856. She married Henry Leigh Hunt born 1852 Kansas.
Were his parents from Chautauqua County? CHS

A106 STILES, Hermon and Ellen VOAK Stiles were both born in Yates
Co., NY, but died and are buried in Fredonia. Does anyone have any
records about these people? [ANSWER]

A107 BAILEY, WAB wishes the descendants of Samuel J. Bailey and
Henrietta Winsor to contact her through the Fenton Library. Please
ask for Mrs. Ingham or leave your name, address and phone number.

A108 RHODES. Wanted: Parents of Alpheus Rhodes of Carroll.
Also the maiden name of this wife Lydia. Who were the brothers and
sisters of each: Known children of Alpheus were Henry Alvin born
14 April 1834, Eliza Uhl who married a Hiller, Lydia who never married.
Did one child marry – Bunce? Who were the two wives of Henry Alvin
Rhodes? Who were the children by the first wife? HTA

A109 BAXTER-BURKE. Need all data on Cornelia M. Baxter born
19 March 1813 in Duanesburg, NY, married 25 Dec. 1835 (where?) Jones
Burke born 27 July 1815. They went to Wisconsin in the 1850s.
Think there is a connection in Kennedy. HWF

A110 RHODES. Who was Fred Rhodes born 10 August 1857?
To whom did these Rhodes belong: Harriet, Leslie, Maurice, Ralph,
Alice? (Not necessarily related but could be). Does anyone
have a Rhodes genealogy or family records? HTA

ANSWERS

A103 BLODGETT. A reader has sent us the name and address
of a Blodgett who may be able to help our correspondent.

A104 TURNER, John P. born 1811 in Ellery Center married 13 Aug.
1848 Catherine Rice age 19. He was the son of William Turner and
Sarah Graham. The 1825 census of Ellery lists William with four males
and five females. Among his children were: Naomi born Owasco,
Oneida Co., NY 24 Aug. 1808, married Ezra Horton as his second wife, died
17 April 1897 and is buried in Bemus Point Cemetery. Also Linus Dickinson
Turner who died 28 Feb. 1878 in South Stockton, married (1) Diana Winchester
and (2) Mrs. Methitable Currier Smiley, widow of Asel Smiley. Another
son was Isaac Graham Turner born 31 Dec. 1799, died 24 Feb. 1887, married
(1) Elizabeth (who?) (2) Mrs. Mary Aldrich Barney Arnold. They are
buried in Bemus Point Cemetery. Dixon was another son. We have
no data on him. Perhaps William Harrison Turner who married 24 Feb.
1842 Phebe S. Winchester was a son too. Can anyone help us?
Fenton.

A108 Our querist asked if a daughter of Alpheus Rhodes married
a Bunce. A reader sent two pages of data re Rhodes and Bunce and
stated that Frances Rhodes, daughter of Ira A. Rhodes married (as second
wife) Lester Fenn Bunce. Frances 1859-1910 is buried in the Thayer
Cemetery in the Town of Carroll.

PICKETT CEMETERY
A Pickett descendant wrote us she had been in the hospital when our
article appeared but that she would like to share her Pickett-Cleland line
with us.

PICKETT CEMETERY, Feb. 22, 1969
When this article was written, I was in the hospital. I am direct
descendant of the Pickett and Cleland families. Tehre was listed
a marker for Lite, wife of Samuel Pickett. Lite was a nickname.
She was Celestia. I have records of both families, a picture of the
4 Cleland brothers taken in 1876 and a Bible brought from Scotland.
Would be glad to show them. F.P., Jamestown.

Stiles, Herman 3/19/1819 7/09/1895 (Fredonia, NY) U/2 7/11/1895 Howard lot wifeStiles, Ellen (Voak) 5/21/1818 (Voak, Yates Co, NY) 3/7/1906 (Fredonia, NY) James VoakRebeca U/113/9/1906 in 1850 Herman and Ellen are in Dix, Chemung, New York Barney in Chautauqua Co NOTEAccording to the STILES GENEALOGY HERMAN is a son of ISAAC STILES (2) son of JOSEPH (1)married Ellen VOAK in 1844 ch 1 Clarence married in 1884 Iowa, wife not named, ch ( question here A107 THOMPSON, Florella 1845-1902, married 1873 Fredonia, Clarence Harmon (herman) Stiles, son of above Herman and Ellen (Voak) Stiles. Who were Florella’s parents?)ELLEN and HERBERT Thompson Stiles and Emma married F W HOWARD Jeweler in Fredonia ;HERMAN served in the Union Army in the Civil War, in 1884 was residing in IRVIN, Marshall Co IOWA Herman Stiles Enlistment Date: 3 Sep 1862 Enlistment Place: Dix, New York Side Served: Union State Served: New York Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 3 September 1862 at the age of 43.Enlisted in Company M, 10th Cavalry Regiment New York on 7 Feb 1863.Discharged from Company M, 10th Cavalry Regiment New York on 27 Feb 1864 at Stevensburg, VA. Herman and Ellen lived in Kansas and Iowa, buried in Fredonia distantly related to Barney here/ dau lived here Source: Dolores (Pratt) Davidson - 2008

SOURCE: Fenton Historical Society Deserted Cemetery Series.
From the Jamestown Journal 22 February 1969, compiled and written by Edna
Ingham